1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with insecticidal compounds which have morphogenetic hormonal mimetic activity. Compounds having morphogenetic hormonal mimetic activity exert a disrupting influence upon the normal development of insects. These compounds interfere with the normal metamorphosis of the pest insects and result in the formation of individual insects of the treated species which develop abnormally and are nonviable or sterile. This ultimately leads, indirectly at least, to the destruction of the insect population.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Chemical & Engineering News, Nov. 29, 1971, pp. 9-10 (Belgian Patent 767,834), discloses the use of 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-(.alpha.,.alpha.-dimethylbenzyl)phenol as a mosquito larvicide.
Copending application U.S. Ser. No. 199,034 of B. R. Kennedy and L. de Vries, filed Nov. 15, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,370, common assignee, and Gomper, Schmidt and Kutter, Liebigs Annalin, Bd 684, 37 (1965), disclose some of the dithiobenzoates and thiolobenzoates used in the method of the present invention, e.g., methyl 3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxydithiobenzoate and methyl 3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxythiolobenzoate.